My work gets me talking to all sorts of people, facing all manner of challenges. One of my recent mini-consultations got me talking to Jessica, a graduate in her first job.
Personally, I believe that many people twice her age need to pay heed to the simple ideas I shared with her.
Do you?
Dear Jessica,
It was great chatting to you the other day. Rarely do I have the opportunity to talk with someone so new into the workplace. Nor, if I may say so, one so forward thinking to be already recognising the importance of influence.
To be honest, I wasn’t sure I would be able to help when your request came in. I’m far more used to helping people mid-career, those wanting to transform their results and step up to the next level.
However, within just a few minutes it was clear that the guidance you needed as a graduate was pretty much the same as most people, regardless of the stage they have reached in their career.
You asked me how you could become more influential with your colleagues. By way of summary, here is what I suggest:
- Listen to Agendas. If you want to influence other people, first make sure you have listened to what it is they are trying to achieve. If you really understand that, it will be much easier to link your agenda to theirs. And when I say listen, make sure and do this with a sense of positive curiosity.
- Build Trust. Without doubt, trust is vital if you are to successfully influence your colleagues. Sure, you still have to be doing the right thing, for the right reasons, but if people don’t trust you, suspicion will drag you down. Make sure and work hard to build trust at every turn.
The Gautrey Influence Blog
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- Know Your Contribution. You clearly have a lot of talent and capability. But are you crystal clear on how you might contribute to the work of others around you? If you do, getting their attention will be easy. And, you can only really do this if you know their agenda.
- Master the Principles of Power. Don’t be worried, power is not a bad thing, although many may think that. All that is good in the world happened because somebody used their power. The principles explain the mechanics of influence and when you truly understand them, and apply them, you’ll rapidly grow in your ability to get things done.
- Connect to Agendas. If people can see that you have value to add to their agenda, they’ll bite your hand off to get you on board. This makes influence in return much easier. What this means is that you’ve got to communicate your contribution in terms that they can readily connect with.
There is a great deal more I could say, however, if you get really good at doing each of these things, you’ll go far.
Why? Because many people twice your age haven’t been able to turn these simple ideas into habits yet. Yes, they know they should, but they haven’t quite been able to do it.
This hands you an opportunity on a plate. An opportunity to be exceptional.
Wishing you every success in the future.
Colin
The Gautrey Influence Blog
Ever felt overlooked, unheard, or stuck in office politics? You’re not alone. The Gautrey Influence Blog breaks down the real-world strategies behind leadership, influence, and power—giving you the tools to be heard, respected, and successful. Join 35,000+ professionals getting ahead the smart way—subscribe now..
💡 Benchmark your Influence: Take the Master of Influence Assessment (Free for Subscribers!)
👉 [Subscribe & Take the Assessment]